Abstract : « The establishment of quinoa on the international market was associated with a significant change of the Bolivian production system. Such a change involved both the structure of producer associations and the agricultural practices implemented, which defined new agroecosystems gradually showing environmental and socioeconomic issues. In this framework, particularly during the 90s, the quinoa sector was characterized by the establishment of Fair Trade supply lines regulated by standards ensuring environmental and socialsustainability. The evaluation of the environmental dimension of Fairtrade standards has so far received little attention by the research community even though environmental issues, particularly soil fertility reduction, are considered to undermine the sustainability of quinoa agroecosystems. This paper, therefore, presents the preliminary collection and analysis of soil related data including soil fertility assessment and soil management practices implemented in the municipalities of Colcha K, Tomave and Salinas de Garci Mendoza in the Southern Bolivian highland, currently considered as a spot highly vulnerable to environmental degradation. The present study, thus, contributes to develop an integrated soil related database at the community level that provides a baseline for the long term-assessment of environmental impact of Fairtrade standards applied to quinoa production. What is more, it supports the design of ad hocmeasures to be implemented both at farm and producer organizations level with the aim of enhancing soil fertility and environmental sustainability. »

Abstract : « This thesis investigates the impact of fair trade on tea producers in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. A comparison study is undertaken between fair and conventional trade farmers to investigate the monetary and non-monetary benefits of fair trade involvement. The study of 7 villages in the Central Province, incorporates 40 fair trade tea producers, who are members of a cooperative, and 40 conventional trade tea producers selling to a local buyer. Undertaken in July 2009, the research analyses quantitative and qualitative data gathered by means of questionnaires and interviews, to examine the different experiences of the two types of producers in terms of monetary and non-monetary benefits. Monetary benefits examinedinclude factors such as improved income, income sufficiency, secondary income activities, pre-finance measures and excess money. Non-monetary benefits examined include education gains, household development and labour hours on tea production. The results are compared with other impact studies with similarities and differences analysed. The empirical results presented suggest that there are no significant differences in tea income between the two groups. However, fair trade producers work fewer hours in tea production and are more likely to report both an improved and excess income. Furthermore, the fair trade producers report improved spending on food and savings and have a more diversified crop. The results are due to the increased productivity, the provision of loans and saving schemes and the increased time available to work on secondary income generating activities either on or off the farm resulting in an overall improvement in living standards. This study contributes to the existing literature on whether and how fair trade is able to improve the well-being of small producers by offering new insights into the importance of cooperative management, working hours, productivity improvement, effective savings schemes and pre-finance arrangements. These findings are considered important to the success of the cooperative and hence to fair trade producers extracting the full benefits of fair trade and as such they are recommended as focus areas for fair trade. New data is included from tea producers in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, a new region for in-depth study and a new context, as the majority of existing studies focus on coffee and banana production. »

EMPREINTE ECOLOGIQUE

International Conference of Agricultural Economists, Université de Milan, août 2015 : “Agriculture in an Interconnected World” - Site de ageconsearch.umn.edu, 2015, 25 pages.

Abstract : “A choice experiment was conducted in Scotland, the Netherlands and France to assess consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for ethical attributes (i.e. fairtrade, organic, lower carbon footprint) of bananas and to find out whether this ethical food attributes are competing in real markets. The results showed that in the three countries consumers are willing to pay a price premium for the three ethical food attributes. The results showed that in the current market situation these ethical foods are not generally competing against each other. Nonetheless, they are likely to become competing for consumer’s money at least when : (1) the price of organic foods is decreased significantly, (2) the price for fair trade food products is set higher than consumers’ WTP, and (3) bananas labelled has having lower carbon footprint are made available in retail stores and sold at a price lower than consumers’ WTP.”

CONSOMMATEURS

Purpose : “The purpose of this thesis is to examine, analyze and describe the effects and role that CSR and ethics have on consumer behavior in Malmo. Furthermore we aim to research what Malmo consumers preferences are regarding price, quality, social equality when purchasing products and if demographical factors affects preferences or behavior”.